Denis is an experienced legal manager and business partner. Prior to founding the Law Firm Polyakov & Partners in 2019, Denis successfully built his career primarily as a corporate lawyer and legal business partner at major Russian companies, specializing in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and project work (International Moscow Bank, VimpelCom JSC, Golden Telecom JSC).

Denis also possesses experience working in major law firms. Early in his career, he gained excellent practical experience as a consultant at international law firms (Holmes Roberts & Owen, McDermott, Will & Emory) and also worked as a Senior Associate at Squire Sanders & Dempsey.

For over 14 years, he managed and closed corporate transactions and investment projects totaling over US$2 billion in aggregate value, working both in private practice and in-house (utilizing both internal resources and external counsel).

He headed the legal support division for M&A and strategic investment projects at UC RUSAL, and led the legal departments of Russian Fishery Company LLC, Volga JSC (Pulp and Paper Mill), and a High-Net-Worth Individual (HNWI) Family Office. He oversaw the legal support for UC RUSAL’s foreign assets in China and Africa. He built from the ground up and managed the legal department and corporate governance for a leading fishing company with revenues exceeding US$238 million and a headcount of over 1,500 employees.